2020 Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Undergraduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
Polymer Physics I (Polymer Solutions)
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Hidemine Furuya
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon (S622)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CAP.P221
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Polymer materials show excellent physical properties. In this course, we introduce various physical properties of polymer solutions and polymer blends. That is, this course covers the conformation of one polymer chain, dilute polymer solution, concentrated polymer solution, and polymer blend on the basis of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. "Polymer solution" provides the fundamental concept of polymer substances, so that this course is an introduction for advanced courses of polymer science, and hence has an important academic significance. Furthermore, this course gives basic information on polymer substances for the technologies related to polymer industry.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will get the knowledge about the physical properties of polymer solution. That is, they will be able to explain and/or understand
1) the conformation of an isolated polymer chain
2) the conformation of polymer chains in dilute solution
3) thermodynamics of polymer solution
4) structure, morphology, and physical properties of polymer blend
Keywords
Conformation, Dilute Solution, Polymer Solution Property, Polymer Blend, Morphology Formation
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The detailed contents of this course will be carrried out by online. Students are sometimes given exercise problems related to the lecture.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction and chain conformation of linear homopolymer. | Understand the origin of "polymer properties" on the basis of their molecular structures. Understand the chain conformation of one homopolymer chain |
| Class 2 | Conformation of rigid and semi-flexible polymer chains. | Understand the conformation of rigid and semi-flexible polymer chains. |
| Class 3 | Excluded volume effect. | Understand the excluded volume effect of polymer chains in these solutions. |
| Class 4 | Thermodynamics of polymer solution, lattice model theory, osmotic pressure. | Describe the concentrated polymer solution using Flory-Huggins mean-field theory. |
| Class 5 | Phase equilibrium. | Understand the phase diagram of polymer solution on the basis of the miscibility between constituent polymers and solvents. |
| Class 6 | Diffusion and viscosity, concentration dependence of polymer solution | Understand the diffusion and viscosity of polymer chains in polymer solutions. |
| Class 7 | Polymer blends | Describe the definition and generality of "polymer blends". |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
The Society of Polymer Science Ed., " Fundamental Polymer Science", Second editin, Tokyo Kagaku Dojin
Reference books, course materials, etc.
References: Hiromi Kitano et. al., "Polymer Chemistry", Sankyo Pub., 2008.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' course scores are evaluated on the basis of excise reports and exams, as described in RISHU ANNAI.
Related courses
- CAP.P201 ： Polymer Science
- GRC.B104 ： Introduction to Polymer Chemistry
- CAP.P352 ： Exercises in Polymer Science II
Prerequisites
Students should have successfully completed the following courses or have equivalent knowledge; Polymer Science (CAP.P201), Introduction to Polymer Chemistry (GRC.B104)